A time for everything

Stressed up. In the midst of staying overnight in school so that I would not be late for the project simulation on 8am, Wednesday, God spoke some poignant words into my heart.

'This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made, [a] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.' Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. Therefore I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.' - 2 Kings 22:16-20


I looked at the Word and was amazed by the attitude of King Josiah. Somehow, I felt like King Josiah, having discovering the word of God just like a new believer. Just now while I was doing my study, God prompted me to go and pray to Him and read the Word. Honestly speaking, the heart inside of me tells me to continue reading my book so that I can do the review in time. But I know I need God's Word for strength. So this passage from 2 Kings came to me. I began to think about the Word of God. How many times do we read the Word with joy and respond to God's Word? How many times do we really obey the Word of God? A lot of people I saw in church these days worshiped and engage with God emotionally, which I do so too. But too many times, the all important Word of God is being ignored as emotional experience replaced God's Word. This contradicts Jesus when He said that people will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. I feel guilty of this too, regardless how many times I attempt to make an effort to put this in the first priority. Yet, I know I need to continue to rely on God's strength. Let Him to continue to train me and put me to the test so that I can grow. Let His own timing comes to past.

Then I turned to the book of Ecclesiastes.

There is a time for everything and a season for everything under heaven. - Ecc 3:1

a time to tear down and a time to build - Ecc 3:3


It dawns upon me that maybe now is a time that God tear me down and build me up again. There is a saying going around, that 7 out of 10 bankruptcy cases will come back stronger. Being spiritually bankrupt might mean that I need to turn to chapter 11. In American law, there is such a thing call chapter 11 bankruptcy case, which the company comes out with a plan to get itself out of the financial situation. I think I want to come back stronger. God is certainly tearing my world down one by one as I enter the transition stage of my life, going to make important decisions. Tearing down part means that there will be a building up part.

Yet there is another part to this:

So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work - Ecc 3:22


Maybe I need to start enjoying what I am doing across the board, or start rediscovering the joy of doing those things.

An airfield, a rusty machine, and a dead seed.

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